Bloggers on the left and right zeroed in on the Kentucky Republican after his engagement with Clinton at Wednesday’s Benghazi hearing. The right crowned Paul as their anti-Hillary crusader, bravely going against a mainstream media ready to anoint the outgoing-secretary of state as 2016’s president in waiting. Across the aisle, the left viewed him as an arrogant, whiny politician, pushing radical conservative conspiracy theories.

Text Size

Rand Paul to Clinton: I would have fired you

TOP 5 upcoming Hill fights

“I would have fired you,” the son of former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul told Clinton during her testimony about the Sept. 11, attack in Benghazi, Libya, where U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed.

“I figured he might be the boldest Republican questioner but I had no idea how bold,” wrote Hot Air’s conservative blogger Allahphundit. “He’s taking dead aim at the insulting charade of buck-stops-here bravado among American politicians who are happy to ‘show leadership’ by admitting to their failures on the condition that they’ll suffer no consequences for them. Accountability’s a smart theme for a populist would-be presidential candidate to take up.”

The Daily Caller’s Matt K. Lewis wrote that he was impressed by Paul’s performance, writing that “Rand Paul continues to impress in the senate. During Wednesday’s hearings, he pressed Secretary Clinton harder than any of his colleagues over her failure of leadership regarding Benghazi.”

Debra Moore on Exposing Liberal Lies praised Paul for being brave enough to “tell it like it is,” but predicted he’ll face a backlash in the mainstream media. She wrote: “I guess we know who will be the next conservative to come under attack from the American Pravda. Rand Paul dared to confront Hillary Clinton for her incompetence over Benghazi. Finally, someone dares to tell it like it is.”